What is the biggest Ford car you can buy in Europe? We put the big SUV to the test.
When we ask this question, the first thing that comes to mind is the Ford Transit, which we recently tested in the off-road version, or the Ford Ranger, which we went to the quarry in the Raptor version, or almost forgotten, but still how the Ford Galaxy lives. But all three had a contender in the title race in an immigrant car from America, the Ford Explorer.
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Ford Explorer
The car is really large for European conditions, as evidenced by the dimensions, 5.049 length, 2.004 width and 3.025 m wheelbase, which put it in tandem with the largest European sports SUV, such as the Audi Q7, BMW X7 or Mercedes-Benz GL. . Even more than the measurements themselves, they dictate their performance. The gigantic bonnet certainly helps greatly with this, which is always clearly visible to the driver and passenger and under which the European powertrain is hidden.
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A truck that wants to be an SUV
Electric hybrid
By the adjective « aurobid », I mean above all that it is a hybrid made up of additional ingredients. When the Explorer came to Europe, it ditched all the powerful American internal combustion engines and is only available with a single plug-in hybrid powertrain. It’s also not flabby, as it consists of a 3-liter six-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor integrated into a 10-speed automatic transmission and powered by a 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Ford Explorer
According to WLTP measurements, this should be enough to give the Explorer an electric range of 42 kilometers, although in reality this depends a lot on the driver’s driving style, weather, temperatures, cabin occupancy and many other things. This distance is certainly not achievable, but the electricity is still enough that the Explorer can switch to an electric car in one form or another during city missions, even if the maximum range will be about thirty instead of forty kilometers.
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The old man rolled up his pants
But when the gasoline engine interferes with work, perhaps in cooperation with the electric motor, when the power of the engine system is 336 kW, and the torque is 825 Nm, the Explorer turns into a rather lively car despite its huge dimensions and weight. She’s not athletic by any means, which, among other things, makes it impossible for her to have a somewhat « American » softshell, but she sure is fast. However, fuel consumption in this case is also significantly higher than the officially specified 3.1 liters per 100 km. On the highway, it increased by 10 liters per hundred kilometers, among other things. But this is nothing special for such a large car, which, among other things, can tow a 2.5-ton trailer, which is somewhat expected, since there is no electric assistance and everything depends on the heat engine.
Ford Explorer
Spacious and seven seats
The Explorer is not only large on the outside, but also offers plenty of space in the cabin, where seven passengers can ride. The most comfortable, of course, is the front, where the driver and passenger sit on precisely defined seats. It’s also comfortable on an individually foldable three-seater in the second row. These are also moveable longitudinally to provide more room for passengers to ride on this seat on one side, or a compromise between the comfort of the second seat and the two seats in the third row.
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These are both emergencies in nature, and not so much is reflected in the seating comfort once you’re seated, that they sit surprisingly well, as in the embarrassment of riding on them. For this reason, it is only accessible to very young or old people with gymnastics abilities. On the other hand, folding it is very easy. Only their headrests fold mechanically, and everything else is done electrically with the help of switches in the spacious luggage compartment.
Ford Explorer
The interior is arguably completely American, which is positively reflected in the somewhat flat surfaces that increase the feeling of width in the already wide cabin, and negatively reflected in materials of slightly lower quality than what we are used to from « real » ones. We Europeans have always been among the most complaisant in this respect.
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In any case, the cabin is European too, at least when it comes to equipment with digital devices that are controlled via two screens, a digital instrument panel in front of the hatch and a large vertical infotainment screen, which is of course touch-sensitive. In that respect, the Explorer is a true European Ford, as everything we’re used to from other new Fords is available within the latest SYNC interface. For this, the high-quality audio system, which is suitable for such a car, also adds its own.
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer we tested had the Platinum Equipment Package, which means it was very generously equipped. Unfortunately, a large car also commands a high price. The cost of the test sample is 86,500 euros. That’s a lot, but we can also say that compared to competitors in its class in terms of size and in terms of powertrain, it is still among the most affordable and certainly deserves attention.
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« They don’t do that anymore. »
Ford Explorer Platinum 3.0 EcoBoost Plug-in Hybrid 4WD
Engine: Hybrid, V6, 2956 cc + electric motor
Maximum power: 336 kW (457 hp)
Max torque: 825 Nm
Performance: 230 km/h, 6.0 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h
Dimensions (L x W x H in mm): 5,063 x 2,004 x 1,783, wheelbase 3,025
Luggage compartment (liters): 635 – 2274
Consumption: 3.1 l/100 km, CO2 emissions: 71 g/km (WLTP combined cycle).
Price in EUR: 86500
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